Happy New Year

The last few hours of 2009 are ticking away . . . This year has been good to us. S&S has come a long way from being a fanciful idea to an actual online shop.  Looking forward to the New Year, Shar and I hope to build on that momentum. What will 2010 hold for S&S? Let’s play psychic for a moment while I peer into my crystal ball, shall we? Hmmm . . . it’s a little hazy, but I see new designs . . . fresh fabric selections . . . more FB and Twitter fans . . . perhaps even another business trip (or two!). Well, whatever happens, I’m crossing my fingers that it will be amazing!

To ring in the New Year, I’ve made a few resolutions.  I won't cross my heart, hope to die, poke a needle in my eye that I’ll keep them because, as with all resolutions, one or two will inevitably fall by the wayside. BUT, I’ll try my darnest to keep up with them. I have you folks to keep me accountable. So, here goes:

♥ Learn a new sewing skill every month. Each one mastered will be a small triumph in growing the business. (By the way, snaps for me for learning how to create an inner zipper during the holiday sewing frenzy. See, I’m already ahead!)

♥ Read a new sales tip from Etsy every week and apply it to S&S.

♥ Remain dedicated in blogging and announcing interesting things going on at S&S.

♥ Keep sane hours. I mean it with this one! (This goes for Shar too. I know she has no control over her hours, but hopefully she’ll remember to take a cocoa break every now and then.) I don’t want a Christmas repeat and burn out again . . . for either of us!

Good luck with your own resolutions and may the year be kind to you. Here’s a toast to new beginnings in 2010!

Love,
STL

Peace at Christmas

This week, I’ve officially declared myself to be on Christmas vacation. I think I’m well deserving of it! I’m pretty much burnt out from sewing several handbags (Sorry, I can’t mention show them in case I ruin the surprise for the recipients. But trust me, they’re super cute!) and a few other handmade gift goodies and decorations…and prepping for a dinner party this past Sunday that have kept me up until the wee hours of the night. The lack of sleep was a small price to pay to make sure that those packages were sent in time before the PO’s shipping deadline. I put so much effort into those gifts and I’d be damned if they didn’t reach their destination in time for Christmas!

Wes would have been disappointed if I didn’t make homemade stockings. (What you thought I could just sew handbags?!) Apparently, he’s just too good for store bought ones! Looks like I was a good girl this year since mine is extra heavy for its hook!

Paper garland, one of my many mini projects. 

Now that the rush is over, I can enjoy some peace without feeling guilty. And it feels so good! The last couple of days I’ve been catching up on sleep, watching cheesy ABC family Christmas movies and reruns of Greek (my new fave show to keep me occupied until Drop Dead Diva and Glee are back) and eating all the baked treats dropped off by my neighbors. Life is good! Oh, and Wes and I are heading to Flagstaff for our Christmas getaway. We weren’t able to fly to Hawaii or Indiana this year to spend time with either of our families, so we’re starting our own tradition of snowboarding on Christmas Day.

I should be well rested and itching to get started when I return from my mini vacation. I’m excited for all the new things that S&S will be featuring. Hopefully, Shar and I can introduce The Traveler on our Etsy site soon. I know I few ladies out there who are waiting for them! We may even take a poll on what fabrics you all like best. There are just so many lovely ones out there we’re having a hard time deciding. Shar and I tried weeding them out ourselves, but we likened it to choosing which one of our children were our favorite (not that either of us have children, but it was just so dang hard to decide!). Your input would be much welcome!

For now, let’s just all enjoy the Christmas holiday . . . and survive the long stretch into the New Year. Here’s hoping that your days are merry and bright!

Cheers,

Sherryl & Shar

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Nothing could be better than the holidays! Holiday parties, snuggling under warm blankets with hot cocoa and marshmallows....stealing kisses under the mistletoe...*sigh*

WE LOVE THE CHRISTMAS SEASON!

But MOST OF ALL, we are pleased to announce that:

Sherryl & Shar is having a special online GRAND OPENING!!!!!!

Our inaugural launch features a selection of our first line of handbags, carefully handcrafted with love and packaged with you in mind. You are cordially invited to view and be the first to purchase a Sherryl & Shar handbag! You can reach our shop at www.sherrylandshar.etsy.com

or direct through our shop link on the sidebar of this blog.

As an added bonus, we are featuring FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING to anywhere within the US and Guam through the end of 2009!

Sherryl & Shar handbags make excellent gifts, but once you see one in person, we'll understand if you want to keep it for yourself!

Thank you!

From Shar . . .

Thanksgiving. There is so much to be thankful for this year. Sherryl and I put our positive vibes out into the universe and our nose to the grindstone, and voila! Sherryl & Shar took its first steps into the retail market! This company is truly our baby and ever labor pain will be worth it in the end because we know that we have the support of our friends, family, and fans. And, when I say "labor pains," believe me, starting a company has all the signs of birthing a newborn. Sweat, tears, late nights, early mornings, frequent appointments, temporary meltdowns, getting the crib ready -aka the website. It has been an exhausting yet worthy adventure. I am the luckiest person to have my best friend with me through it all. That said, I am also thankful for Beyonce's latest cd! If you are an avid reader of our blog, you will know why! :)

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥ 

From Sherryl . . . 

I am thankful for so much! So far, it has been an amazing year and it’s not over yet. The most exciting times are yet to come and it’s not just because Thanksgiving is here and Christmas and the New Year are right around the corner. Shar and I are finally seeing all of our hard work come to fruition.  I remember those days when all we did was dream and wonder what kind of business to start. At that time, I was in Indiana and Shar was in Rhode Island.  The two of us have come a long way since then.  We’ve criss crossed thousands of miles across the country, drank more than our fair share of margaritas during meetings and survived every crazy, exciting and surreal experience, all the while making S & S a reality. Though, we couldn’t have done it by ourselves. It’s still amazing to me how many people support us! I'm smiling to myself and shaking my head in wonder right now.   To each and every one of you (family, friends, FB fans, Twitterville, friends of friends and friends of friends of friends) that has sent Shar and I encouraging words, positive thoughts and good juju, I just want to say, from the tips of my magical sewing fingers, “Salamat Po . . . Grazie . . . Mahalo . . . Thank You!”  And to my BFF and PIC, “Love you, chica!”

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥ 

May your bellies be full, your home filled with laughter and your hearts overflowing with happiness this holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Love,

Sherryl and Shar

P.S.  We also hope your pockets are heavy! Teehee!  

Ode to Sewing

Courtesy of Crafty Chica’s Guide to Artful Sewing.  Every little bit helps!!!  I sang this with Beyonce’s If I were a Boy.  Yes, I know I’m a dork, but if you had the day that I did yesterday, you would appreciate this bit of silliness.  By the way, a very special thank you to my husband for wiping away my tears and drippy nose.

Oh great craft maker in the sky

Please, oh please!

Surround my workspace with good vibes, patience and creativity.

Guard these delicate fingertips from pinpricks and savage snips,

Whether by thimbles of steel or old-school divine intervention.

I don’t care, I just need hardcore protection!

Structured or freeform,

Let my needle sew straight and sturdy for stitches big and small.

And allow my scissors to fly through fabric upon my call.

Sure, I can handle ripping a seam, or even losing my pincushion.

But you know where I really need the lucky charms?

Bobbins, patterns and tension!

Silk, cotton, plastic, oilcloth.

Scarves, purses, journals, jackets.

I’m smart, savvy-and soon I’ll be a superstar stitcher.

Just keep it cool and I’ll follow through!

This will help me get through the days until the upcoming launch and prevent me from throttling my stubborn sewing machine against the stone wall (yes, the very same one that I used for my shipping experiment).  I just need to stay focused and keep up the positive juju…and sing every other hour!

Since everyone has been very patient (and kind for listening to me vent) you deserve a little glance at our final products. 

Sneak peek of The Diva, The Student and The Shoe Addict

One of Them Days

YESTERDAY:

I was SO excited! I even woke up before my alarm went off. It was a Monday, the first day to start sewing our actual products. To mark the day, I got all dressed up and did my hair and makeup.  “Look good, feel good” is my mantra. (It really does work!) And the whole time I’m dancing to Beyonce and Mariah Carey tunes to keep my energy flowing. I was convinced it was going to be a good day, the butterflies in my tummy made me believe it would be. I had a yummy breakfast . . . and that’s where the goodness ended. The rest of the day was filled with one frustration after another. I was repairing something, hunting something down or discovering I had done something wrong. Seriously, that’s what it was like and I was about to have a melt down.  I didn’t feel productive at all. I won’t go into details or else you’ll really think I’m a crybaby or make you wonder why I’m making handbags at all. The latter went through my mind for just a whisper of a moment, but I immediately squashed that thought. It wasn’t healthy thinking and I AM NOT A QUITTER!!! Though at 10:30 in the evening, with my fifth attempt at something, I decided to call it a day. Thank goodness there is a tomorrow. Moral of the story: Give it your best, but know when to rest.

TODAY:

. . . is another day and an opportunity to keep building our empire. I’m still optimistic.

Quote from Crafty Chica’s Guide to Artful Sewing:

“There are three little words that I love to say.  I use them when a friend points at something new that I am holding or wearing.  I smile, my chin juts out just a couple of milli-leters, my chest puffs the tiniest bit, my answer has just a trace of pride, and I say my favorite three words . . .”I made it.”  -Amy from Sydney, Australia

I know exactly how she feels.  That is what keeps me going.  That and the fact that I have an amazing business partner (she's only a call, text, chat, vchat, email or FB away and is ALWAYS there!) to encourage me every step of the way.  Having a Partner In Crime makes everything worthwhile.  We knew it wouldn’t be easy setting up shop for Sherryl and Shar, but thank goodness we have each other to lean on.  

Laboratory Testing

In S&S’s effort to guarantee that you will receive an undamaged product, I have conducted a test, simulating the journey a package would encounter during shipment from my doorstep to yours.

I know that the mailman probably wouldn’t do the things I did to the box (I know mine wouldn’t).  However, there is a possibility of him having an off day and grabbing any unsuspecting package (maybe yours!) and taking his aggressions out on it.  How many of you have thrown around a few things in the midst of an all out fury?  I know you don’t want to admit it, but burning off that extra bit of energy feels good doesn’t it?  Let me tell you, I can have a mean pillow fight all by myself.  Granted, I only pound the bed, but it still does the trick.  Anyway, I’ve said too much already.  So, lucky for you, S&S is taking this precaution to ensure a pristine handbag.  I opened the shipping box after my experiment and rest assured that the contents were as I had packed them.  Unfortunately, I can’t show proof.  Just trust me.  We’re saving you the pleasure for when you unwrap one of your very own.

I’m also testing these biodegradable peanuts.  Not sure if we’ll end up using them, but I was curious to see if they really do dissolve in water.  Another green attempt on our part! 

Like magic, it turns into foam!  

I was amazed so I did it a couple of more times to make sure it wasn’t a fluke. I know, the littlest things can entertain me!  Let’s see, what else needs to be tested before our treasures are shipped out to our fans?

The Shopaholic

The plastic bag reincarnated . . . only this time, it’s green! Something that us chicas try to incorporate into our daily lives.  I’m very pleased with the sample and it’s definitely one of my favorites.  I wish I could say that I didn’t have my head scratching moments (1 1/4 + 1 7/8 = STL needs to take a remedial arithmetic course.  I friggin’ hate fractions!) or cursed every time I stabbed myself with the millions of pins keeping the fabric in place (You would think I would be more careful by now.  Seriously, it was like sticking my hand into a gator’s mouth.) or . . . well, you get the picture.  It wasn’t easy!  I did learn how to make a French seam though.  In the end, this is what I’ve known all along: the projects that make your brain go into overdrive (that really want to make you pull your hair out) and make you think outside the box are the ones that you appreciate the most.  You want a little peek into my thought processing?  Scenario: I sent an email to Shar, trying to figure out how to give the The Shopaholic that extra zing.

Of course I had to sensor the competition!  Don’t bother asking who it is.  I’ll never tell!

Every now and then all I have to do is send Shar an email and ramble my way out of things.  It never fails that she always helps me, whether she’s physically there or not.  Drum roll please . . . . 

Tada!  So practical right!

Hurray!!!  All the Samples are complete!  Well, almost.  I just need to do a revise of The Shoe Addict, but that’ll be quick work.  Next on our plates, admin stuff: packaging, shipping, labels, hang tags.  Hmm, I know there’s more to do.  It’s all coming together!  SOON . . . very, very soon!  

The Student

I love this bag!  You know why?  Because it was the easiest one to make!  Not only that, but this sucker is strong!  I was curious to know how many books it could hold (after all, it is meant for the student, library geek (that’s totally me!) or just the average bookstore junky (that’s Shar!)), so I shoved as many books inside of it as it could possibly handle. 

Filled to maximum capacity!  Well, not totally.  You could still cram a few more if you don't mind them sticking out.

Seven . . . not bad.  That’s like, what, 3 college textbooks?  According to my honey (I don’t have a scale at home, so I figured he would be a good reference mechanism since he lifts weights), they weighed 25 pounds.  Though, I wouldn't want to be carrying that load all over campus, especially if I was gone the whole day.  I might as well invest in one of those roller backpacks like my cousin Trish is contemplating on getting.  (So uncool!  But hey, whatever floats her boat!  HA!!! Just kidding cuz!)  I forgot to include a pocket on the sample, but that’s easy to include in the final one. 

I know, funky colors again!  Thank goodness they're samples! 

So, four down and one more sample to go.  It’s called The Shopaholic.  The fabric for the final is just too cute and so very appropriate for its purpose.  Here's a hint: fruits.  You get it??? 

The Diva

Sewing the sample makeup bag wasn’t so bad.  Well, I say that now, but I did have a hell of a time attaching the zipper.  The sample was my second time working with one and I made sure to google several tutorials for guidance.  I also wanted to know if there were any shortcuts available to make things go smoothly for a novice like me.  I have to admit, there were a lot of What the hell's and Aw crap's (one of them for breaking my needle) that day.  I’m usually a very good systematic thinker, but it took a little too long for me to catch on to these tutes for my liking.  Though after two hours of grumbling, everything else was breeze.

Cutting out the pattern.  You like my use of granite?  It’s called being resourceful!  Why pay $10 for a set of four pattern weights at Joann’s while I can pick up these small slabs for free while hiking. 

 Don't mind the funky fabric pairing. The interior will actually have a nylon lining for easy cleanup.

I also fell in love with my sewing machine again (ours is a love-hate relationship) while discovering the automatic needle threader.  What an amazing mechanism to include!  I seriously should have read the manual all the way through.

STL’s samples to make:

The Traveler 

The Shoe Addict 

The Diva 

The Student (working on next)

The ??? (stay tuned!)

New plan, new goal, new bags!

The business trip to San Jose was awesome and much needed.  Shar and I were very productive.  I love how our creative energies bounce off each other and spur us on.  Individually we have our own unique strengths, but together we form this brilliant, super creative wonder woman!  Though our face to face meetings are few and far between nowadays, we’re hoping to make it a quarterly trip.  I’m hoping Southwest has those promos again soon.  I know you’re wondering about highlights, so here they are:

• Oct. 16, 2009, our first meeting in person since Aug. 14, 2008! BFF's together again!  The Wonder Woman is emerging . . . We revised the line, created names for each bag, found a label vendor, signed up for Facebook, Twitter, Etsy and Ebay accounts and made plans to visit San Francisco’s fabric shops the following day.  Here’s a special shout out to my cousin Yvonne’s fiancé, Jason, for bringing us snacks to keep our creative juices flowing.  Thanks cuz!

• Fabric shopping day!!!  We visited Britex Fabrics, Fabrix, Mendel's Far Out Fabrics and Peapod Fabrics in San Francisco.  

Our famous route in the search for fabrics 

We expected it would be a long day (we wore comfy shoes and I even brought snacks!), but nothing prepared us for what lay ahead.  Who would have thought that we would have walked a total 8 miles by the end of the day?!  And it wasn’t just flat sidewalks, mind you, this is San Francisco where they apparently love their hills!  Up and down and up and down for six hours straight with loaded handbags. And we didn’t stop there.  The night was topped off with dinner and dancing at Poleng Lounge.  As if our legs needed the extra exercise!  In the end, we came up with only two yards of fabric from Peapod (the owner was a bit prickly).  It was worth it though.  Shar and I talked shop, received a few cat calls and experienced the city from a different perspective, all the while being thankful for having each other to share those moments with.

 (Left) Field testing The Traveler.  Just call me The Bag Lady. (Right) Thumbing through upholstery fabrics at Britex.

• Shar and I come up with some nutty stuff when we’re together, and making a duct tape dress form takes top honors for the year.  After realizing just how expensive a professional one cost, I decided to do some research to make my own.  This chick on You Tube taught me how.  Shar was my guinea pig. She thought I was going to use just one continuous strip of tape and wind her up.  Umm, she should have checked the video again!  

Take it from Shar, it’s very hard standing still for two hours while being wrapped up like a mummy.

There were some touchy feely moments (you can guess where), but Shar was a good sport and didn’t complain one bit.  We did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself. We didn't realize stuffing Charlotte would take all night, so there wasn't enough time to wrap me.  It'll give Shar an excuse to visit me in Prescott.

  Charlotte, our S & S mascot, all dolled up and modeling our totes.

• The lovely downtown Los Gatos.  We should have started our search right in our own backyard.  Nestled along the many sidewalk shops was a boutique called Natural Expressions of Los Gatos.  It was like entering heaven…the colors (Oh, the colors!).  It housed just the type of fabrics we were searching for.  I wanted to buy a yard of everything!  My mind went into overdrive just thinking of all the possibilities I could stitch up.  Not only do they carry fabrics but also all sorts of beads, wires, chains (anything and everything really!) to make jewelry.  I could have lounged in there all day.

Since I’ve been back, I made the finishing touches on a tote I started before the trip.  We’ve been choosing florals lately, so it was a nice change to see a different sort of pattern.  Perhaps I should rethink the combination of colors though.  I like them separately, but not so sure with them together. 

I also finished a sample of The Shoe Addict, one of the products in our line.  I’ve always put my shoes in a plastic grocery bag when traveling. You never know what got stuck at the bottom of your shoes and you don't want to pass them on to your clothes.  It was time for something a bit more stylish and green.  The fabrics for the final product are worthy of any shoe!

It easily fits a stiletto!  Mine is a size 9 with a 4.5 in heel.
So now it’s back to work.  Shar and I are still riding on our wave of energy from our meeting and trying to get things checked off our to do list.  It seems like it keeps growing, but we’re enjoying every minute of it.  Up next, The Diva!  I’ll let you figure that one out . . .   

San Jose Bound

Here I go again, off on another trip.  This time I’ll be visiting my two favorite girls: my best friend Shar and my fave cousin Yvonne.  Shar and I will go fabric hunting San Francisco.  It’ll be our first business excursion together as bona-fide designers.  The last time she went shopping for fabrics, she found herself driving around in circles and even wound up in the ghetto at one point.  This time should be different.  We’ll have her boyfriend, Tony, as a bodyguard, my cousin Yvonne as textile connoisseur and me as the excellent navigator.  All should be well.  Hopefully I’ll come back with tons of luscious fabrics to boost our collection.  Cross your fingers that we discover some real gems!   

Before I head out though, I’m still working on one more bag to bring with me to show Shar.  All the pieces are cut and they just need assembly.  Please, OH PLEASE, let me finish in time.  I still have a bunch of other things to do: finish packing, do a mani/pedi, cook dinner, drop by Goodwill and try to squeeze in making a makeup brush holder.  Oh yeah, and my shuttle to the airport leaves at 3:50 a.m.  Lord help me!

Best yet!

I’m SO HAPPYYYYYY!  This is by far the best tote I’ve made so far!  I’m so proud of myself. I pranced around the apartment with the handbag slung around my shoulder and modeled it in front of the mirror.  I’m kind of glad I had a solo celebration.  Anyone would have thought I was acting a fool if they saw me giggling, chattering to myself and striking poses.  

Reversible baby!  Two bags in one.  And it has pockets too!

True, I didn’t get to finish it last night, but that’s OK because I probably would have gone to bed around 6 a.m.  The handles took me a good while to get just right and closing the hole where I turn the bag right side out was tedious and slow going.  (Also, I took a break for dinner, watched an episode of Project Runway while I was at it and talked story with my roomy that came home earlier than I expected.)  Next time, I’ll try harder to aim for a one-day turnaround.  It’ll be 24 hours of straight sewing.  No TV.   No computer. Eat at the workstation and pee in a bag (just kidding!).

I want to stop, but...

I’m taking a break.  I started another tote in hopes of finishing it before my trip to San Jose.  This one strays from the original pattern in that it doesn't have metal rings and it's reversible.  I want to be able to show it off to Shar.  I’m confident it will be finished in time, but am I so ambitious as to finish it tonight?  I’ve never completed a tote in one day before and it would be a celebratory first.  But who would be here to give me a high five?  (Wes is in San Diego for the weekend and my roomy won’t be home until midnight.)  Enjoying a job well done alone isn’t any fun.  It’s so much better when someone is here to showoff my handiwork.  Anyway, I feel the strong tug of procrastination beckoning.  I haven’t eaten dinner yet or watched TV in six hours and the guilt of not popping in my yoga DVD is weighing heavy.  I know what I have to do…it’s the productive thing.  The night’s not over yet though.  There are a myriad of things that can distract me.  The question is, am I strong enough on a Friday night not to let them lure me away from my goal.

I'm baaaack!

The girl is back! It’s about time too! I know I said I’d be gone for three weeks, but the trips just kept coming. Might as well take advantage since I have the opportunity, right! I bet you were wondering if I was ever going to come back from my travels. Well, I’m home and ready to start again. Though before I do, let me just reminisce and share with you highlights of my trips to Hawaii, Philippines, Guam and Hawaii round 2 (I know, I love my home!) and road tripping to Vegas and all over northern AZ. You better get comfy because this is going to be a long entry and I want everyone to know what’s been keeping me away.

• First stop Hawaii to pick up my mom. Before entering our designated gate at the Honololu Airport, the customs guard asked my mom what she did for a living. She responded, "I'm a housewife." (Personally, I think she didn't say she was a farmer because she didn't want to raise the suspicion that we may be smuggling fruits with us. We weren't, but still...) He then turned to me and asked likewise. I said, "Same thing." As soon as I said that, I regretted it. I missed my chance to say out loud that I, Sherryl Tolentino Lane, am a designer! Ugh! I did have a small chance several hours later to redeem myself when the flight attendants passed out the disembarkation cards. There, in the small box marked for occupation, I wrote: Designer.

• My Lola Menang celebrated her 100^th birthday and we had an all day party for her. I also discovered that I have a great aunt who is a 102!!! The day after the festivities, my mom and I went zip lining in Tagaytay with Taal Volcano in the background. (It's not a highlight, more of a low light, that I wasn't able to find any fabrics to bring home with me.)

• Guam, such a lovely island. Too bad it gets such a bad rep from Hawaii locals. Despite the heat and humidity, it’s awesome! I suppose it helps that my brother, Ryan, was such a good tour guide. My mom and I were glad to spend time with him and meet his new girlfriend, Marina. She is exactly the kind of girl I’d want for my baby bro. I also went paddle boarding and rode a carabao named Betsy, which incidentally was owned by Joe, a local Chamorro who looked like Mr. T. Salamat po for showing my family a new way to eat coconut with shoyu and wasabi. So yummy!

My bro and Marina look so cute! She’s our newest fan in WA!

• I received a 50% Cole Haan discount!!! On my second flight home, I sat next to this woman with the most beautiful handbag. While she was settling into her seat, I kept sneaking glances at her gorgeous hobo (camel colored, soft, pebbled leather, thick rope handles, pockets at the gussets with smart tassels on the flap). Talk about lusting after it. It was to die! Turns out, she was a CH executive who noticed my own CH bag. At the end of the flight, she handed me a card, which I thought was her business card, but turned out to be an executive discount!!! I’m still reeling at the exchange! As soon as I deplaned, I called my cousin, Yvonne, and told her that we were going shopping. I bought a black textured wallet and black woven leather and suede hobo. It’s absolutely gorgeous! I love, love, LOVE it! (See, now this is exactly how I want other women to react about Sherryl & Shar handbags. I want them to salivate (I admit it, I did!) at the thought of owning one.)

I took a sly photo of her gem. This photo doesn’t do it justice!

• My honey turned 30 in August. We drove to Las Vegas to celebrate his milestone. Besides gambling, we went to the top of the Stratosphere and freaked ourselves out on Insanity The Ride and Big Shot.

• My cousin Trish’s wedding was beautiful and lots of fun. She was absolutely stunning! Besides the actual wedding, the best of times were hanging out with her and a few other girl cousins in the hotel room finishing up on last minute details. There was a moment when I thought, “Wow, we’re really grown up now. We’re all getting married.” I am truly blessed to be surrounded by such strong women in my family.

Tolentino Fashionistas: Yvonne, Trish & Me

• Witnessed three amazing sunsets from Sedona, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon. Each one was breathtaking in its own right. All I could do was just soak in the beauty and savor the moment.

I’m not the only with the travel bug. Shar’s been parading throughout Europe since the beginning of September. (I’m SO J!) I’m sure she’s gathered some research along the way. Maybe she’ll pick up on some European fashions that haven’t hit the US yet. I’ve been tracking her on FB and she’ll be returning home tomorrow. I’ll be seeing her in less than two weeks!

Now that you’re up to speed, let’s have a little show and tell with my latest projects. What, you thought it was all play? Well, of course, I did some sewing! I made two bags. I managed to finish one in between my trips. It took me a whole month to complete it with cutting patterns one day, pinning two weeks later and sewing everything a week after that. Also, it didn't help any that I temporarily moved my workstation to the dining room. The sewing studio is currently being occupied by a roommate. Nonetheless, I managed to pull through. 

The second one was almost a complete disaster. I have to admit, I was totally and utterly distracted while sewing. I made lots of mistakes! Some were so obvious that I could just kick myself! I did a lot of seam ripping and re-measuring and re-sewing. I blame the Real Housewives of Atlanta for my goof ups. If it wasn’t for their juicy drama and wild, ghetto shenanigans I would have paid better attention to what I was doing. (By the way, Nene is my favorite.) It would have taken me three instead of four days to finish this bag if it weren’t for them, perhaps even two if I was completely in the zone.

I curious to see a solid, but I think I’ll stick to patterned fabrics for the outer shell.

I’m planning to give one of these bags to my mom as a belated birthday present. I ordered a bouquet from 1800FLOWERS (BEWARE of this company!!!) a week before her birthday, but the delivery never made it. The bastards told me the day AFTER her birthday that the order was cancelled! UGH, I was livid! Anyway, never mind. Brush it off my shoulder. I decided to give her a Sherryl & Shar bag instead because I know she’s anxious to have one. Besides, it’s much more personal this way. I just have to figure out which one to give. The other, I’ll take with me when I visit Shar. Hopefully, I can finish just one more before I leave. 

On hiatus

My sewing drama will be on hiatus for three weeks while I travel home to Hawaii on my way to the Philippines to celebrate my grandmama's 100th birthday.  (Can you believe it, 100!  I have some really good genes in my family.) While I'm there, I figure I'll do research for the company and scout out some inexpensive fabrics and notions.  After PI, I'll jet off to Guam to visit my bro and check out their island fashions.  Maybe I'll find a muse to take back with me to Prescott.  By the time I get back, I'll be well rested and ready to start on the second tote. I've already chosen the fabrics- a tropical blue and white pattern and yellow polka dot lining.  The green round bag will have to stay in the WIP basket for a little longer. No tears next time around, though I'm not making any promises!  

Losing my mind . . . almost

I bet you're wondering what happened to me and the bag that drove me out of my mind. No, I didn't give up. For the remainder of Friday, I tried all kinds of different combinations as to how to finish the last 20%. I worked diligently (as in pinning and unpinning, staring, sewing and ripping) from noon until W whisked me off at 6:00 for a night of bowling with friends. I figured I deserved a break. Saturday was spent just like Friday, except now, the edges of the bag were looking a bit tattered than the day before. Sunday . . . the break down. After much huffing, cursing and realizing that I had made the same mistake for the second time, I stormed into my bedroom and threw myself onto the bed with as much grace as a polar bear. I'm a bit embarrassed, but I have to admit it . . . I cried. I cried out of shear frustration! I wanted to howl away, but W was in the next room so I shoved my head under a pillow to stifle my sobs. Why can't I figure it out?! Am I that stupid?! I know I'm smart, why can't I get it?! Seriously!? These thoughts went round and round in my moment of torment. Even worse, these thoughts needled their way in. Maybe I'm not meant for this. Maybe this is a sign. Maybe I should just stop right now and look for a real job. Then, after all our hoping to make it (even just a little), I'd have to break it to Shar that I wasn't up to snuff, that I was a big phony and I didn't have an inkling of sewing talent in me. Ugh, how depressing was I? That's when I caught myself. I needed to stop this self deprecation. (After all, I'm not a girl who likes to indulge in it for any reason.) What I needed to do was step away and BREATHE! It was all I was thinking about for the last three days. So, I let the unfinished bag sit untouched for the rest of the evening. Today, I didn't even think about it. Well, maybe I did for a little, if only to resolve that I would set it aside for the time being. For now, it's the first laying in a Work In Progress basket. There's no harm in moving to another project. I think I'll do another tote, finesse my technique with that bag and build up my confidence again.

Frustrated

I'm asking myself for the gazillionth time, "Why didn't the seamstress leave instructions?!" Seriously! Seriously.  I can't figure out how to attach the stupid, stupid handles! This is deja vu.  I feel like I'm in geometry class trying to figure out a proof. I have to say, geometry was much easier than this.  I stare at the pieces and play around with them . .  no good.  Pin and unpin and pin and unpin again . . . no good.  Take a lunch break and try again with fresh eyes . . . no good.  Close my eyes and try to imagine the bag being assembled . . . NO GOOD!  No joke, I'm about to tear the sample apart.  How many times have I cursed today?  It's a good thing (or maybe a bad thing) I'm not a devote Catholic.  My Hail Mary's would be 50 and counting. I'm about ready to give up, but I refuse and I'm this close to the end! You know why? Because when all is said and done, it feels SO good to see the finished product. Now, let's do this!

My guideline

My frustration

Huh, I think the little pep talk to myself worked.  I just needed to vent!